This Guardian Angel
by FullmetalEcho688
Summary: In a place where all kinds of magical and mythical creatures live comfortably together, one race is shunned and hated. One cursed species is alienated from the rest. What would happen if the love of Ed's life found out he was an angel! Completely AU, EdxRiza. ADOPTED, from Geu23.
1. Index

**INDEX**  
**The Species:**

**Demon: Common.  
**The most common species in the world. They look, act and talk like humans, except that they can control the elements if they choose. Half demons are also very common. A half demon is produced when a demon mates with another species of any kind. There are different classes.  
**1st Class **The weakest of the bunch**  
2nd Class **Stronger than 1st class**  
3rd Class **Stronger than 2nd class**  
4th Class **Strongest of all the classes**  
½ Class **Not purebred. Power varies, but never stronger than 2nd class

**Fairy: Discrete but somewhat common.  
**People with fairy wings. They come in two sizes; small and human sized. They have close connections to the Earth, their element, and animals (especially cats).  
**Fairy: Earth, Ice, Water, Fire, Air etc.**

**Angels: Extremely Rare.  
**People with feather wings. Angels have the ability to control the minds and emotions of those around them; because of this, when they are found they are shunned by society. As a result, angels are extremely rare and never reveal themselves to anyone. There are four classes.  
**1st Class **One wing, weakest of all. Cannot fly.**  
2nd Class **Two wings, average. Has the ability to fly.**  
3rd Class **Three wings, two side by side and third is below the right/left wing. Strong, has the ability to fly.**  
4th Class **Four wings, two big wings between shoulder blades and two smaller wings under the bigger wings and located lower back. Very powerful, has the ability to fly. Also known as the Guardian Angel.

**Element Spirits – **Nymphs that can take any form they wish. They are used by Demons, Fairies and occasionally Sorcerers/Sorceresses. They have the ability to manipulate Earth's Elements, that being Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Metal, Wood and Electricity (energy).

**Unicorns –** are horses with colourful horns and are purely white in colour. They live in thick forests and are rarely seen; they only appear to those that yearn to see them, those that are lost in their forest and need guidance to get out, or in some very special cases, they appear to a soul that calls to them.

**Vampires – **are classified into one big group. They can turn into bats willingly, though it takes lot of skill and mastery, as it can be fatal. They don't necessarily turn to dust in the sun's light; they merely get a very serious case of sunburn! They love the night because of their endless allergy to the sunlight. They drink blood to live but most don't take more than necessary. They can be nice people sometimes.

**Werewolves – **people who are deadly allergic to anything silver, so they keep as far away from it as possible! They have better senses, including hearing and the sense of smell. They turn into wolves when they feel like it (voluntary) and they are forced to transform into wolves on the night of the full moon. They may sometimes go berserk and the best thing to do then is... To get the hell away from them as fast as you can!

**Hydra** - A giant, tree-like dragon with seven heads that will multiply when cut off.

**Minotaur** - A monster that is half bull, half man. It wears a golden ring in its nose, and enjoys eating young women. Often terrorises cold regions.

**Satyrs** - Half goat half man. They are generally good. All satyrs have curly hair, and horns.

**Goblins**- a thin, green creature that is somewhat humanoid. It possesses very large, glassy black eyes, and its hands and feet are uncommonly long. Goblins are very skilled at craft work. They are proud creatures and often argue with fairies.

**Hobbits** - Short dwarfs that live in the sides of hills. They are completely humanoid, but are never above 100 cm. It's very hard to catch one.

**Medusa – **there can only be one in existence every 300 years, or else all other species would suffer from her ugly and venomous face. Anyone that dares look suffers one of three fates: they would turn to stone, become completely insane or become blind.

**Oracles –**found in every major town and city. Few and far in numbers, if a new Oracle is found he or she is sent to another place where there is a need for an Oracle. A more powerful version of mystics, Oracles also have prophetic dreams. The Oracles meet each other annually to be kept updated with each other.

**Pegasus – **horse with wings and they come in size and colour. They are bred as messengers, presents (for the royal family stuff as well as peace offerings), to be researched, to be kept in zoos and to participate in racings.

**Other Magic Folk:  
Witches/ Wizards+ (has a theme, e.g. pumpkins, and require potions for magic)  
Sorcerers/ Sorceresses+ (Seducers that use the energy from their surroundings for magic)  
Mages (uses the lives of others to power their magic)  
Mystics (can see certain events in the past and/or future)  
Spirits (the deceased, sometimes volatile)  
Elves (Beautiful humanoids with heightened abilities)  
Cerberus (three headed dogs mostly owned by Elves)  
Sirens (Corrupted Elves that lure victims to a watery or fiery death)  
Wereanimals, Healers, and many others.  
**+Wizards and Sorcerers generally hate Witches and Sorceresses, and the feeling is mutual.

**About Floe:  
A small but developing town in the mountainous region. Has four seasons.  
Spring- 2 months, Summer- 1 month, Autumn- 1 month, Winter- 8 months**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/n: Hey guys! :) Now before you all get angry, I know I should be working on AbtW, but this is a different case. You see, I've adopted this fic from another writer on . His username was WainGuy~ when he originally wrote this. Then he changed his username a couple of times; at the moment it's Geu23. He wrote the first 5 chapters of this before abandoning it for personal reasons, so I volunteered to write the final 6th chapter. ^_^**

This fic is RizaxEd and Fem!Al, and involves mythical creatures like demons, witches, angels, werewolves, vampires, etc. There are no humans in GA. I'd recommend scanning through the index so you know what they are and what they can do!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters. I also don't own the plot of the first 5 chapters, I just beta'd them. ALL CREDIT FOR THE FIRST 5 CHAPTERS GOES TO GEU23.  


* * *

**Let the wolves howl, and there you will hear their beloved song as they chorus in the mountains for the beautiful moon that watches over their kind.**

**Chapter 1:**

_**7th July 1922, 12:05pm.**_

Riza looked around the snow covered town square and sighed; no Edward in sight. He was running late again, but she could wait. He was her beloved person, the person she was currently dating and her faithful boyfriend. He wasn't a morning person so that could be the reason why he's running late. Or he could be sending his sister to her friend's place.

Riza shifted slightly on the wooden bench as she waited and pulled her tan-coloured coat closer around her body. It was mostly cold in Floe, the town they lived in. Floe meant 'sheets of ice' and it kind of suited the town, since winter was the dominant season. She stared into the clear, afternoon sky and reminisced how she'd met him. She wouldn't forget it, because he had met her at the worst possible time; the funeral of her mother.

* * *

_**12th February 1920, 5:46pm.**_

_It was the day of the funeral, but it wasn't just anybody's funeral; it was her beloved mother's. Her beautiful mother that smelt of roses and lilies, the pillar of support that was always there to comfort her and her brother. She was gone, and she was never coming back._

_Her mother, Elizabeth Hawkeye, age forty-four. She'd died of an illness that had no known cure at the time. She had been carrying the disease for some time, probably years from what the doctor said, and it had robbed her life. She had slipped away from the land of the living during the cold night, right beside the man that she loved the most._ _She left behind a husband, a son that wasn't her own flesh and blood, and her daughter. She had slipped away from them and she hadn't even said goodbye. She just... left._

_Her father mourned silently, sorrow and grief coming off him in waves. Everyone that came to the funeral remembered the wonderful woman who had lived a life worth living; they remembered a woman who cared and they all said that she had been too young to die. And there were many people at her funeral; she had been a 3__rd__ class demon, and was well-loved and respected amongst the citizens. She had such a vibrant path in front of her, but she could not walk it for she had passed away._

_Riza was going to miss her mother; her smiles, her laugh, her beautiful copper-bronze eyes, her gentle and steady hand, her lullabies, her scent... Oh God! She was going to miss her so much! She was full of grief, sorrow, disbelief and so many more emotions. But at least she had shown it, unlike her brother._

_Her adopted brother, Jean Havoc, was a werewolf. His sense of loyalty was much stronger than that of those around him; maybe that was why he looked so… lost. He was so shocked by the news that she had died… He kept looking at the covered body with disbelief and then- nothing. His face, which was always so filled with emotion, swiftly became blank, as did his eyes and expression._ _It seemed like he didn't feel anything! But how can that be? He'd loved her as much as Riza did. So why didn't he show how upset he was? Didn't he grieve for the woman that had raised him? Or did it mean nothing to him that she had gone, and she was never _ever_coming back?_

_Jean stared blankly at the coffin as they read their prayers. Riza's ruby eyes were overflowing with tears, and her father was in in a similar state. The snow surrounding the two stirred as they grieved. And as the coffin was lowered and buried, the other people that had attended cried and sniffed. Others whispered their condolences, and others left._ _The family of Elizabeth Hawkeye stayed as the other Demons, Fairies, Vampires, Werewolves, and everyone who had attended the funeral left one by one. Soon the three were the only ones left, except for a young man that had stayed behind. He stayed back a bit, to give some space to the grieving family, before he stepped forward._

_The young man was dressed in funeral clothes- white shirt, black pants and a black coat to match. He had amber eyes, long golden hair and he was slightly tanned; he was also nearly as tall as Jean. Riza detachedly assumed he was a demon._

"_Havoc…" he spoke softly._ _Jean blinked and turned, along with their father. Jean stared at the stranger for a moment before he blinked again._

"_Ed?" he rasped._

_The young man – now named Ed – nodded, his amber eyes filled with empathy and sympathy. Ed looked at Riza and her father before giving a small bow to them._

"_I am so sorry for your loss. My sister and I send our condolences," he offered quietly, before straightening up and looked at Jean, who was staring blankly at him._

"_Ed..."_

_Ed walked to Havoc's side and took his arm, guiding him away from the other two. Jean stumbled slightly after him before they came to a stop a short distance away._ _Riza had to strain to hear what they were saying. Ed spoke lightly, his words holding a promise that seemed that what he said was no lie, but only the truth. Jean spoke just as softly, but appeared slightly blank and emotionally detached._

"_Havoc, I know that losing someone important is devastating. But you have to move on. Your mother would want you to move on..."_

"_How do you know that? Tell me Ed, how would you know that?" Havoc gulped._

"_I know that she didn't want to leave. She wouldn't want to leave you behind; she wouldn't have left you and your family if she had a choice. Sometimes people just don't wake up anymore... They close their eyes and they never open them again..." Ed replied gently. He knew this feeling better than anyone._

"_I… __It hurts, Ed! I don't know what to do anymore... She was always there for me, and now I don't have anyone to turn to… I feel so lost Ed!" Havoc stared at the ground, unwilling to look Edward in the eyes._

"_I'm here for you; my sister is here for you as well. I'm sure your father and sister will be there for you as well, Jean. Remember, you are not alone. I'll be here for you, I'll listen to what you have to say, I'll always be there for you; I've got your back... I won't leave you to lose yourself. Whenever you need me, I'll be there..." Ed placed his hand on Jean's shoulder comfortingly._

"_And if you can't?!" Jean shouted suddenly, trembling_

_Ed gazed at him in the eyes. _"_I don't make promises I can't keep. And I will always be there for you, Jean."_

_Suddenly, Jean's blank face broke into a mask of complete heartbreak and pure angst. His shoulders shook with sobs as tears ran down his face; he gasped for air as his blank facade crumbled, revealing a very broken young man who had lost a treasured family member. Edward held Riza's brother as he cried; as he __grieved__ for the mother they shared, as he hiccupped and his mouth opened to say words before they were choked away by __grief__._

_All the while as Jean grieved, Edward kept his hold on him, uncaring that his black coat was getting soaked with salty tears. He murmured words of comfort and words of understanding._ _Riza found herself tearing up again as she watched her older brother break down and succumb to his grief. _

"_D-don't l-leave me alone E-Ed! D-don't l-l-leave m-me please... D-don't g-go... D-don't leave me behind!" Jean choked out as he clung onto the young man like a lifeline._

"_I won't leave you Jean. I'll only leave if you ask me to, but other than that I won't leave you alone. I promise," Ed soothed as he rubbed Jean's back as a gesture of comfort._

* * *

_**7th July 1922, 12:09pm.**_

Riza suddenly blinked at the baby blue sky, breaking her concentration. She remembered that day very clearly- it was such an emotional day for everyone. After that, Ed had come over to her place every day to make sure Jean was alright. He was there to support, he was there to sooth and he was there to heal. He did all those things for Jean, and for her as well. He helped all of them recover from their tragic loss.

Suddenly arms wrapped around her chilled shoulders and warm breath cascaded against her ear. She smiled; He'd finally arrived.

"Well, hello Edward," Riza greeted lightly, not turning around to see her boyfriend. He laughed and pressed a small kiss on her ear.

"I told you to call me Ed, Riz. Have you been waiting long, love?" he smiled, although Riza couldn't see it.

Riza looked at the town clock; it read 12:10pm. "I've been waiting for 10 minutes."

"Well, that wasn't too long." The arms moved away, leaving her to feel slightly cold due to the loss of the solid warmth. He walked in front of her and grinned, "Shall we go?"

Riza smiled lightly and stood up. "Of course, that's where we agreed to go, right?"

Ed smiled sheepishly and nodded, taking her hand in his left as they walked together through the snow covered side-walks. They headed towards the small café that was tucked in a small corner near a library named 'Snowy Dayz Library'- it was old, but still in good condition.

Their destination was Coffee Cabin and Extra- the place where she and Ed had their first date, on 23rd October 1920.

* * *

_**23rd October 1920, 2:04pm.**_

_The café was themed with red and white. The chairs and tables were white, the walls and floors were mixtures of red and white, while the table cloths and curtains were red. It was a cozy place._

_They were shown to a table near the window, where the vampire waiter gave them a menu each and told them to call when they were ready to order. They both decided swiftly and called the waiter back over._

"_What will you be having madam?" The pale man inquired stiffly._

"_I'll have a latte and butter cake. Edward?" Riza asked Ed, slightly nervous._

_Ed winked at her good-naturedly before looking at the waiter. He ordered a black coffee and vanilla cake. The waiter took their menus and left with their order._

"_So, Edward, have you been to this place before?" Riza started the conversation as she looked around the café._

_Edward shook his head, a content expression on his face. "Nope, but I've wanted to try it out for a bit, so I thought I'd go with you. Al said 'it was nice, though the service needs more smile in it'."_

_Riza blinked with realization. "I guess they do. This place looks cheerful, and yet the waiters aren't smiling at all..."_

"_Maybe they just need a few waitresses and they'll be happy!" Ed grinned mischievously. Riza laughed._

_After that they chatted while they simply drank their coffee and ate their cake. They tried each other's food and talked some more before they left. It was a great first date, and Riza had felt comfortable and content in Ed's company ever since._

* * *

_**7th July 1922, 12:13pm.**_

"What are you smiling about, Riz?" a voice interrupted her thoughts. Riza shook her head, snapping out of her happy memory. Ed was looking at her with a thoughtful expression.

"Oh, nothing really. I was just remembering the first time we went to the café, that's all," she stated simply.

He blinked before he smirked and pulled her into a hug. She yelped as she fell into his embrace, feeling the familiar weight of his arms around her waist and his head in the crook of her neck. He planted a warm kiss on her neck and she felt him smile against her skin.

"Well, that would have been a perfect day if the waiters had smiled a bit. Well, now we're kinda lucky that the owner hired some waitresses. Told ya that the waiters needed some ladies around and then they'd smile," he said playfully. She laughed softly and wrapped her arms around him, her fingers playing with his black coat.

Riza smiled at whispered, "What if I worked there?" She felt him tense and fought the urge to laugh. Ed was very protective of those he cared about, including Riza, his family and people he considered family like Jean and her father.

"Well, those waiters better not touch you or they're dead," Ed muttered heatedly.

"But then you'll be banned from the café," Riza pointed out.

He breathed a soft sigh that brushed her ear. "I wouldn't mind, as long as your safe. Then it doesn't matter."

Riza smiled and muzzled her forehead against his shoulder. He gave her a small squeeze before he placed a small kiss on her cheek and released her.

"As long as you're safe and happy, all the trouble after that will be worth it."

Riza blushed lightly at that. Ed was always so protective that he would do anything to guard the people dear to him, even people that were dear to her. He was truly something else.

"Shall we continue into the cafe? Or should we remain out here and freeze our ears off?" He spoke again.

"I think going inside where it's warm is better than freezing out here." She made a face.

Edward chuckled. "Alright, love. Let's get going then." They linked hands and walked towards the warm café for their date.

* * *

_**7th July 1922, 9:37pm.**_

They had walked through the woods and then back to the Hawkeye residence, where Riza lived with her family, after their visit to the cafe. They stood on her doorstep in the cold evening air as it began to snow lightly.

"So, I'll be seeing you soon?" Riza joked.

"Obviously! All you have to do is call and I'll come over," Ed rolled his eyes, smiling lightly. Riza smiled back and pulled him into a hug. He eventually placed a soft goodbye kiss on her forehead.

"See you soon, Ed," Riza murmured quietly.

"See ya later, love," Ed replied, just as soft.

They pulled apart and Riza opened the door. She looked back at him and he smiled as he waved at her, just a few steps away. She smiled and waved back. "Good night Ed, sleep well."

"Right back at you, Riz."

Then she closed the thick door and leaned against it. She was tired but content. Today had been a great day, just talking casually over coffee and cake, taking a walk in the snow covered woods and having Ed drop her off at her door. He was so sweet... Or maybe just nice and protective.

She was happy that she loved him. He had brought happiness into her life when it was crumbling. He was her light and she loved every bit of that light that continued to guide and support her. But now, time to prepare for bed- tomorrow she was going to have to wake up early for practice at the shooting range.

* * *

_**7th July 1922, 9:57pm.**_

Ed walked back to his place through the darkening twilight, not that it was light to begin with. He walked past the park and bakery before he took a left, then a right and another left. He lived on Moore Street- it was a place full of terrace houses and he owned the one at the end, number 751. It was one of the terrace houses with a big back yard, and he liked the extra space.

He took his freezing keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, slamming it behind him. He took off his black coat and he was just about to place the keys on the table when four places on his back suddenly erupted in pain. His amber eyes widened.

_No. No, no, no, not now! Anything but now!_

The pain didn't subside; instead it grew more agonizing. Ed hugged his sides, trying to force back a painful scream. He didn't know when he fell onto his knees, but he did. Sweat poured down his face and neck. It wasn't just hot, it was a searing burn! He felt like he would suddenly burst into flames, but he didn't. Twinges of more pain came before something pushed out from under his skin, rustling his red sweater. He felt them move- they yearned to rip out of his back so that they could finally stretch, after being trapped under his skin for two months.

They shifted and he felt them slowly and painfully rip out of his back. He gasped out a painful breath. They pulled at the sweater as they grew larger and demanded more space. He heard the fabric tear and they burst into view. Four glorious white wings, coated in crimson, were attached to his bloodied and burning back. Blood dripped down his spine and pooled around him on the tiled floor.

Lights abruptly flickered on and he heard a gasp. Through the haze of pain he lifted his head and saw his younger sister, Allynn Elric.

"Brother!" she cried anxiously.

Then everything went black.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/n: I think Geu23 had a plot hole, because according to the dates, the year is 1922. Yet he mentions guns, running and tennis as common sports, and later mentions the movies and ice cream as well. I don't think those things where readily available in 1922, but I could be wrong. :) Also, Ed is 21 and Al is 20 in this fic. I think Riza is 21 as well, and Jean is older than Riza. I have to say, writing Fem!Al really threw me, even if I was only editing it. I keep thinking she's a guy! .**

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters. I also don't own the plot for the first 5 chapters. ALL CREDIT FOR THE PLOT OF THE FIRST 5 CHAPTERS GOES TO GEU23.

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**Watch as the sun sets beyond the horizon, and wait till dusk takes over, to shroud us in absolute darkness where only the moon and stars will witness the deeds done in the dead of night.**

**Chapter 2:**

_**8th July 1922, 10:24am**_

Riza closed the door behind her and walked out the gate. She was wearing a black top, blue trousers, black boots and a cream coloured overcoat. Today, she was going to the range to practice her aim for the up-coming regional competition. As she was an elite 3rd class demon, many people expected her to participate; but she was competing not for anyone else, but herself. And hard practice provides satisfactory results, as her father always said.

She trekked down the town roads, passing the library and town hall, before making a sharp right and walking down a worn path. This path that would lead straight to the town stadium, where people of every kind practiced their various sports, such as running, tennis, swimming (which was rare in the freezing town of Floe) and many others, including shooting. She entered the stadium, collected her equipment from her locker and went to the shooting range. She was going to practice until afternoon, and nothing was going to stop her unless it was of the utmost importance.

She readied her equipment, put her gear on, positioned her stance, took aim and fired.

* * *

_**8th July 1922, 12:55pm**_

Riza walked through the streets of Floe, going home after a whole morning of practicing. Now she just had to take Black Hayate for a walk, then she could rest the whole afternoon by reading some of her new books. Her house came into view and she smiled. She couldn't wait to see Black Hayate, though he was quite old. He was one of the few rare Cerberus that was not owned by the Elves, and he had been with the family for over fifteen years. He was never acting his age, always behaving like a mischievous pup.

Riza unlocked the door and opened it. "Black Hayate! Come on, boy! We're going for a walk!"

She waited to hear the familiar pounding of paws against the wooden floor, but none came. It was absolutely silent. Puzzled, Riza called out again but no result.

Riza walked around, searching high and low for that old dog but he wasn't in sight. After twenty minutes of searching, she found him. He was looking absolutely miserable and he was lying on her mother's old reading chair.

"Black Hayate?"

He didn't raise his heads and wag his tail like he normally would. He just lay there, looking at her with one set of eyes. He looked his age now, tired and fragile, his breath coming in choked pants. She crept forward and touched his back, and he whined in pain. Something was really wrong with Black Hayate; she needed to get him to the vet right now!

* * *

_**8th July 1922, 01:34pm**_

The phone rang and Ed looked up from the sink. He was feeling like absolute shit thanks to the bloody wings – that were now completely white instead of covered in blood, thanks to Allynn – that had ripped out of his body. They were always so demanding! It was infuriating!

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he grumbled as he walked to the phone and picked it up. "Elric household, Ed speaking."

There was silence on the other end before a small sniff sounded. Was someone crying?

"_**Ed?"**_

Edward's blood ran cold. Riza was on the other side and she sounded terribly sad.

"Riz? What's wrong? Did something bad happen?" He asked softly. He was getting worried; she hardly ever sounded like this. She was a very strong young woman, and she hardly ever cried; she only cried when something awful occurred.

"_**He... he's gone Ed... Black Hayate's gone..."**_

"Gone...? Did he... run away, or … did he...?" Ed didn't want to finish that.

"_**He died, Ed. They had to put him down. He was just too old a-and he h-had s-some kind or t-tumor in his s-spine... He's g-gone, Ed."**_

Oh God! She sounded so sad.

"Shh, Riza. I'll be right over. Everything will be alright. Just wait for me and I'll be there as fast as possible," He said, quietly. He knew this was going to cause him a lot of pain, but Riza was more important.

"_**I will... S-see you soon, Ed."**_

Then the dial tone sounded from the phone. He placed it back into the cradle before he turned to go to his room. It was nothing special- it was small and themed after the ocean, with blues and turquoise, seashells on the bedside table and dolphin figurines on the windowsill.

He took a new blue shirt, turquoise sweater and dark blue slacks before went inside the adjoining bathroom. He placed the clothes on the hook behind the door. This was going to hurt, and he knew that, but he would do anything for those important to him. He took a deep, shuddering breath before he folded his wings and forced them into his body. It was always painful, but right after they had just came out a few hours earlier, it was absolute agony! They had a mind of their own and they did not want to be squashed into his back just yet.

But he was determined to get to Riza and comfort her. He heard and felt them crack, shifting painfully back into his spine. Blood trickled down his back before the wings disappeared. He grabbed the first-aid kit and quickly wrapped his torso in bandages before hastily putting on his choice of clothes. He walked out of the bathroom, grabbed a pair of socks and went to the front of the house. He was putting his black shoes on when his sister came out of the kitchen, which was right beside the front entrance.

"Brother! Why did you lock them away so quickly!? You know it's very bad for you and your health!" Al scolded but he shrugged his shoulders and he felt the familiar twinge of pain.

"Riza needs help Al. Black Hayate just passed away; I need to comfort her. See ya later." Ed waved to her and walked out the front door before she could say anymore. He grabbed his bicycle and sped away to the town's only animal hospital, 'Floe's Pet Service'.

* * *

_**8th July 1922, 01:46pm**_

Ed entered the veterinary and saw Riza, her copper-brown eyes shadowed with hurt. They were rimmed red since she had been crying. She was sitting in one of the vet's blue plastic chairs, a medium sized box in her lap. The fairies and Wereanimals that worked at the vet were understandingly giving her some space. Edward walked forward and reached her in a few long strides.

"Riz, I'm sorry about Black Hayate. He was such a great dog," Ed muttered quietly.

Riza looked up at him and more tears fell from her eyes. He stepped forward and hugged her tightly. They stayed like that for a few moments before they broke apart. Ed looked at the box with a sad frown.

"Is that...?" he hesitated. Riza nodded and sniffed.

"Where do you think we should bury him?" he queried carefully.

"By our tree... If that's alright with you..." Riza stared at the box numbly.

Ed nodded and helped Riza to her feet. They walked out of the pet hospital and went to the woods, where they buried their old friend under their favourite ancient oak tree. The two walked back to Riza's house in silence. They were both lost in their thoughts when they realized that they were outside the house.

"Ed, can you come in? Please?" she implored him.

Ed gazed at Riza. His body was already heating back up and his back was becoming increasingly pained. His logical side told him to decline and go home, but his non-logical and head-over-heels side told him to bear the pain and stay with Riza, at least for a little while.

"Sure, but not for too long alright? I promised Al that I'd cook dinner tonight," he replied, though he kind of lied about the cooking dinner part.

Riza nodded and smiled, albeit sadly. "Thank you."

Ed left his bicycle by the gate, remembering to lock it there, and followed Riza into her house. They both removed their coats and hung them on the coat rack before they went to the living room and cuddled on the couch. After a few minutes Ed started to feel too warm, and was light-headed and slightly dizzy. His back also hurt like hell. He placed his burning forehead against Riza's cooler neck and he heard her gasp.

"Ed?" She shifted, a cold hand touching his forehead. He leaned into the comforting touch with a sigh. The hand was quickly removed and Riza moved away from him, probably to look at him.

"Ed, are you alright? You're burning up," Riza asked urgently.

"'M'kay. Just feelin' tired and slightly dizzy, is all..." His words seemed to slur together, but he didn't really notice. He felt too warm and dizzy to think properly.

"Ed, I think you should go home, back to Al. She's doing medicine, right? So she must be able to help you."

"Alright, if you say so. See ya later, love," Ed replied almost dreamily and walked back to the front door, taking his coat out of sheer habit. He walked out after giving Riza a quick peck on the cheek as a small farewell. Edward took his bicycle and went back home on foot. He was too dizzy to maintain his balance walking, let alone on a bike.

He reached home, stuffed the bicycle in the shed and hurriedly went back into the house. He passed Al silently and ran for the bathroom. He removed his sweater and shirt; and just in time too, as his cramped wings ripped through his back, tearing his skin and the bandages. Blood poured down his back onto the white tiled floor.

He gripped the white sink and felt them stretch as his warm body started to lose its heat. He felt something bubbling up his throat and soon the taste of metal entered his mouth. He spat out the red liquid into the sink. Damn, that hurt like hell!

"I hate this shit... Had to be born a fucking angel and I suffer from it…" He muttered furiously under his breath. Aside from the pain though, there was another reason he hated his race. What would his beloved Riza do if she learned he was an angel?


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, I just moved into Uni and have settled in. Enjoy :)  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters. I also don't own the plot for the first 5 chapters. ALL CREDIT FOR THE PLOT OF THE FIRST 5 CHAPTERS GOES TO GEU23.**

* * *

**Listen to the coyotes as they chorus in these deserted lands, listen and respect as they sing the song of the dead in the cloak of darkness.**

**Chapter 3:****  
**_**22nd July 1922, 11:23am  
**_

Ed looked at himself in the mirror and frowned viciously. He had black circles under his eyes and he looked pale; in other words, he looked like absolute shit. Ed grumbled as he washed his face before taking a comb and brushing it through his blonde hair.

Today, Maria and her husband Denny Brosh were coming over with their two sons, Kirby and Kevin Brosh. They were both good kids, and the Broshes were close family friends. Ed and Al had known the parents before the kids were even born.

Kirby Brosh was seven years old and he was a bright kid, even thought his appearance was a bit… different. Okay, a bit different is not the right description, because Kirby had been born with a special genetic code that came from both his parents; Denny was from a wizard/witch family, whereas Maria was from a family of demons. Kirby Brosh was a half demon, born with pink hair and ruby red eyes, making him different from the rest of the family. Naturally, they cherished him regardless of his appearance.

On the other hand, Kevin looked like a mix of both his parents. He had brown eyes and blonde hair. He was only five years old, but he was already gifted in speech and magic, thanks to his father. He really admired his father and was almost a clone of him. Were it not for the brown eyes, everyone would be asking why Denny had turned into a little kid.

Ed paused at that thought before a small smirk appeared on his face. Oh, he remembered someone like that, except that he does turn into a little kid whenever the sun comes up thanks to a curse a witch placed onto him! Ed was there when it first happened and boy, was that hilarious!

He shook his head before he got dressed into a navy blue sweater and a pair of black slacks. He walked out the door and went into the living room, which was on the left side of door, opposite the kitchen.

The living room was the by far the largest room in the house, besides the attic and basement. Its walls were painted a pale yellow – almost lemon yellow – and a stone fireplace stood against the wall. Two moss brown sofas, facing each other, were in the room with a wooden coffee table in between. A few more chairs lined the walls. Bookshelves lined the walls that weren't occupied with chairs, and they were filled with books and picture frames.

Ed walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa before he leaned back and sighed. He was feeling like absolute crap as well. They – that being only Allynn and Maria – had planned this visit for some time and they agreed it to be today since it had been two days after _their_ sealing. He absolutely hated the sealing of his wings, but in order to live a normal life he had to do it. If anyone ever found out…

Maria would most likely ask if he was feeling alright, and then demand to know what had happened over the past few days. Maria was a friend of the family, but she tended to act like a mother most of the time, thanks to having two boys of her own. She was one of only a small handful of people who knew what he was, and had been completely okay with it. He closed his eyes as he remembered the day when she found out.

* * *

_**19th September 1914, 07:29pm**_

_Ed was feeling like absolute shit, his back was hurting like hell, and them being here was _not_ helping. He was supposed to let his aching wings out a week ago, but no. Two guests, a demon and a wizard no less, had popped in unannounced and said that they planned to stay till the end of the month!_

_Shit._

_He couldn't wait that long. He had to let them out soon, or else something really bad was going to happen! He had never kept them in for so long and he knew they were getting very impatient. They would most likely tear themselves free very soon, when he was caught off guard, and then they would free themselves from his chains._

_Ed, thirteen years old, and Al, twelve years old, were staying at the Rockbells house- where they had been ever since their mother had passed away. The two were safe there, because the Rockbells had always known about Ed being a Guardian Angel. _

_Ed felt them shift and his back twitched painfully. He hissed in pain and hugged himself, in an effort to quell the raging fury from the wings that resided within his back. His sister, sitting across him because of a puzzle they had been trying to solve for the past hour, came forward and rubbed his back._

"_Does it still hurt, Brother?"_

_Ed could only nod as he felt them shift again. Damn that hurt! He really hated them, as they did him. He was only their host and they were his parasite; they depended on him to live and grow, while he suffered as they leeched his life away._ _He had to hide from everyone thanks to those damn wings. Great, rare Angels his ass. They were nothing but beings cursed with power, and bore the curse via feathered wings sprouting from their backs. Damn, fucking, cursed Angels!_

_Ed let out a shaky breath and willed the pain away before looking at his sister with a smile. She looked at him for a moment before she moved away and continued the puzzle, but she kept shooting concerned glances his way. They were almost done with the puzzle when a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders, catching him completely off guard, and someone said something like "Wow! You guys are good with puzzles!" If he said anything more, Ed couldn't hear it as his back was laced with fiery pain._

_Ed hugged his sides, feeling them move and shift as they demanded to be freed and let loose; so that they could grow and stretch and breathe. He couldn't hear anything or anyone else clearly- everything sounded babbled and filtered. He couldn't feel anything except the pain from his back._

_No! Oh hell no! They _could not _come out when others were around!_

_He tried forcing them back, crushing and twisting them back but they demanded and ordered to be set free. He felt them, felt them grow and twist and shift! Damn it! His back felt so hot, burning with uncontained rage and fury as they forced and fought their way out. He didn't know if he screamed or whined or whimpered but, fucking hell, they hurt._

_He felt the wings push harder and harder, forcing their way out, and they broke down every attempt to quell them with rage. Oh hell, it hurt. He felt sweat pouring down his neck and back; he felt cool tears trickle their way down his face from his eyes. He didn't know if they were open, and if they were he didn't see; couldn't see anything past the pain._

_They pushed and soon they were so close to the surface, so close to their freedom and a new wave of pain coursed through his body. No! Don't! No, no, no! You can't! We'd be exposed! Stop, dammit, stop!_

_But they didn't listen to his pleas; they kept pushing and ramming at his back and the pain tore him inside out. He felt them pierce skin, felt them push harder and he felt something thick and wet ooze out of his back. Blood. _

_Shit! Once blood is drawn, they were going to come out no matter what. Shit, shit, shit! Then he felt something different. Two arms wrapped around his shoulders, and a warm hand pressed his head into the person's neck. Someone whispered something, soft and gentle, but he couldn't make out the words. _

_Another wave of electrifying pain and he was sure he screamed. The arms around him held him tighter, but they did nothing to help him from the pain. They pushed harder and soon they tore free; his chains crumbled away as they surged forth from his back; tearing skin and forcing it to move away to make way for them so that they can stretch free and breathe._

_Oh fuck, that hurt and now they were exposed. Damn demanding wings. He opened his eyes and looked down, blood pooled around him, soaking his pants and another pair of pants across his. 'They weren't there earlier...'_

_He slowly looked up and his breath caught in his throat. He knew it must be some kind of illusion because his mother was dead; she could not be sitting across him, because her spirit had long gone disappeared from this plane. She had moved on to another place, where all the dead went._

_He felt his eyes droop and he felt dizzy. He felt the world go hazy before everything went black._

* * *

_**22nd July 1922, 11:34am  
**_

He opened his eyes and glared at the ceiling. Whether he hated his wings as much as they did him, he would never know. They were such a nuisance, completely unnecessary.

"Brother?"

Ed looked away from the ceiling and looked at his sister, who was standing near the kitchen entrance. She was wearing a baby pink sweater and dark red pants, her fairy wings folded delicately; she also wore her long, sandy blonde hair in a braid. She looked sweet; it reflected her personality nicely.

"Yeah, Al? What is it?" he smiled reassuringly.

"Could you set the table while I make lunch?" Al asked, clearly not buying it.

Ed heaved himself off the comfy sofa and walked towards the kitchen, smiling. "Sure, Al. I'll help."

* * *

_**22nd July 1922, 12:25pm  
**_

Soon there was a knock on the door. Al opened it, with Ed right behind her. The Brosh family were all standing on their doorstep, smiling; well, the kids were mostly beaming.

"Uncle Eddie! Auntie Al!"

Kirby and Kevin lunged forward and hugged Al, before hugging Ed. He laughed and patted them on the head before telling them to remove their shoes before they went inside the house. They promptly replied, "Okay, Uncle Eddie!"

Al laughed at the face Ed made before she helped the boys out of their jackets and hung them onto the coat rack.

"You boys hungry?"

"Yeah!" They both cheered enthusiastically as they followed her into the kitchen, no doubt trying to figure out what they'd be getting for lunch. Ed laughed before he looked at Denny and Maria; he stopped smiling when he noticed the look Maria was giving him.

"You probably heard from Al huh?" he said sheepishly.

She nodded and looked at him disapprovingly. "You shouldn't have done that, Edward."

"I know, but Riza's more important than my health. Anyway, I'm all better," Ed replied innocently.

"Even though you still look like shit," Maria responded curtly.

"Side-effects, you know. Terrible things anyway," Ed waved it off as he walked to the nearest chair and sat down; Denny and Maria followed shortly.

"So how are the kids anyway?" Ed changed the subject.

Just then both Kevin and Kirby yelled from the kitchen, "We're both good! Great actually!"

Denny sighed and seem to sink further into the sofa, Maria just smiled and chuckled softly.

"I swear they could be twins if not for the age difference and their appearance," Denny muttered with a sigh.

"Really now? What's so bad about that?" Ed asked interestedly.

Denny whacked his hand against his face and groaned. "Now they're both trying to complete each other's sentences. And they're succeeding!"

Ed raised an eyebrow and looked at the boys in the kitchen, who seemed to be completely absorbed in looking into the oven. A tray of lovely cookies made by Al were baking nicely.

"Maybe they have some telepathic thing going on? You never know," Ed suggested with a shrug.

"It's possible, since of their Magic and Demon heritage and all. So, Ed, how's your job coming along?" Maria inquired.

Ed rubbed the base of his neck and sighed. "Being a personal trainer is harder than I thought it'd be. It's certainly keeping me in shape, too. Plus I haven't had the time to do any more paintings, because I've been busy for a bit. How's yours?"

"Well, I got promoted to editor on the Floe's Newspapers, while Maria's still teaching at the Boys' School," Denny said with a hint of pride.

"Congrats. To the both of you."

"Lunch's ready!" Al suddenly called from the other room.

"Alright! Now we can eat!" Kevin exclaimed happily.

* * *

_**22nd July 1922, 1:45pm  
**_  
Maria Brosh watched as Kirby was lifted onto Ed's shoulders and smiled. Kirby adored Ed like an older brother, but always called him Uncle Eddie for the fun of it. Ed was great with kids, no matter how small. Kevin was now tugging at Denny to do the same and he did, albeit with a bit of difficulty.

It was nice, watching the men playing in the park. Maria looked beside her and saw Al watching them with a smile.

"So, Al, how is Ed really?" Maria asked discreetly.

Al stopped looking at them and turned her gaze to her companion, a small frown on her face. Concern and worry were evident in her olive-grey eyes.

"He says he feels fine, but he isn't really. He is having side-effects, and they're worse than usual! _'They' _have really taken a toll on him this time, but it was his own fault! He shouldn't have done what he did; but no one could stop him from doing it when he was so determined."

Maria frowned and was about to speak when her boys called out to her, their voices trembling and frightened. She looked at them and stopped.

Edward was on the snow covered ground, lying unconscious with a pool of blood growing from under him. Denny was beside him looking around frantically, and her boys were behind their father, looking just as worried and slightly lost.

"BROTHER!"

"EDWARD!"


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters. I also don't own the plot for the first 5 chapters. ALL CREDIT FOR THE PLOT OF THE FIRST 5 CHAPTERS GOES TO GEU23.**

* * *

**Is today yesterday's tomorrow? Or is it tomorrow's yesterday?**

**Chapter 4:****  
**_**  
22nd July 1922, 5:30pm  
**_

Ed awoke to see a very familiar ceiling, painted with skillful strokes of white paint, and he looked around to see the familiar ocean blue that stained the walls and wrapped around the blanket he was currently under.

Wait... What happened?

He sat up, his head still foggy and heavy, and it felt like the room was spiralling out of control. He closed his eyes tightly and took a long, shuddering breath. It seemed to make the fog in his head dissipate slightly. He remembered that Maria and Denny had come over for lunch with their kids, and after that they had gone to the park... then what? Did they go somewhere or did something happen?

The door opened and he looked over his shoulder - which, he noted belatedly, was covered in the white bandages he was quite familiar with - to see his sister at the door.

"Brother! I'm so glad your okay! We were so worried when you collapsed," Al said anxiously.

'_Great, I made my little sister worry again! What kind of brother am I?' _he thought bitterly as guilt coiled in the pit of his stomach.

"Sorry Al..."

She came closer and sat on the edge of his bed, placing a comforting hand on his. "Are you feeling alright, Brother?"

"Yeah... Everything's fine Al..." he murmured.

She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "That's good."

He looked up at her, "So, what happened after I… you know, passed out?"

She frowned slightly and squeezed his hand. "We were all freaking out before Maria came to her senses and took control of the situation. She told Denny to pick you up, and that we'd go back to our place to bandage you up and let you rest. I had to take care of the kids and give them some cookies to calm them down while Maria and Denny took care of you in the bathroom."

Her shoulders sagged slightly and her eyes were bright from unshed tears. "They said the blood was coming out of the tears, and that they were really bad, Brother. Please don't do anything like that again. I don't want to lose you."

The tears were streaming over her cheeks now, and she was holding his hand so tightly that her knuckles were white and that his was now hurting. He felt so horrible for making his sister cry. He shifted slightly - feeling his back cramp with pain - and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry, Al. I'll do my best not to," he whispered, sadly.

* * *

_**25th July 1922, 12:30pm  
**_

Ed felt better than he did a day ago. Yesterday he was feeling like absolute shit and today he was only feeling like shit. That's an improvement! Albeit a very, very small one. He was currently lazing about on the couch and thinking. What would his next piece be? Should it be scenery of a park with snow? Or maybe a park without snow? Decisions, decisions. They were so freaking hard!

The front door opened and he lolled his head to look at the door way. There he saw his sister and a young man; a young man with dark blonde hair and green eyes that looked roughly like his sister's age. Who was this guy?

"Al?" Ed arched an eyebrow at the scene.

She froze on the spot for a moment before turning on her heel to look at him, a nervous smile on her face. "B-b-brother! What are you doing home? I thought you went out!"

_Hmm, something's up with Al... Now what is it?_

"I didn't have any plans today, and I didn't tell you I was going anywhere. Why? Is there a problem?" he asked, a little too innocently. She was wringing her hands on the end of her red sweater, looking more nervous than ever. Yup, she definitely had something that she didn't want him to know...

"N-n-no! Nothing's wrong!" she waved her hands frantically as she talked, still in the doorway.

He hid a smirk as he shrugged his shoulders. "So, care to introduce us?"

"T-this is Fletcher Trignam. Um... We... We're in the same class and I thought that maybe we could... uh... discuss about the project we're doing! Yeah!"

The guy, Fletcher, just looked at Al with a smile before he nodded, agreeing with her. "Yes, we're just going to talk about the project before we run over the plans for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What plans for tomorrow?" Ed teased. Al looked just about ready to both turn and run or faint right on the spot. "It's alright; you don't have to tell me. Just don't do anything funny, okay?"

"B-b-brother!" Al's face turned as red as her sweater.

"Aha... Yes. We won't be doing anything 'funny' tomorrow, sir," Fletcher said, amusement clearly radiating off him in waves.

Ed pushed himself off the couch and walked to Fletcher, stretching a hand out. "Name's Edward, call me Ed."

He took his hand and gave a firm shake. "Pleasure to meet you, Ed."

_This is going to be so fun!_

* * *

_**26th July 1922, 1:08pm  
**_

Edward was doing his grocery shopping. Yes, he did it, because Al did most of the house work and cooking. She even wrote the list.

_Things to buy:  
Eggs [x]  
Bread [x]  
Butter [x]  
Orange Juice [x]  
Milk [ ]  
Cheese [ ]  
Smoked Meat [x]_

_Okay, so only cheese and milk then... The dreaded dairy products. Wonderful_. Ed thought bitterly as he looked at the list before walking to the correct aisle. Don't get him wrong, he liked cheese and yogurt, but he absolutely despised milk and where it came from. It was always the 'white liquid secreted from an animal with seven stomachs!' - or was it six stomachs? - that caused him to dislike it. He was completely justified!

He was just looking at the cheese when a very familiar, very _smug _voice called out to him. "Oh? Looks like Ed's finally grown taller."

Ed scowled - yes, he did grow, thank you very much! – and saw the one and only Roy Mustang, his previous guardian. Ugh_._ But then he noticed something that made him double take and blink at the black haired mystic.

"What the hell did you do to your face, Mustang?" Ed resisted the urge to break into peals of laughter.

"What?" Roy's voice was dripping with his smugness, unaware of Ed's amusement. "Never seen a moustache before?"

"Oh, I have, but never on you!" Ed smirked.

Above the bastard's lip were two separate, thin lines of black hair. And that made him look like a person from Firanka, near Floe. Not to mention stupid.

"And?" Roy continued.

"And what?" Ed rolled his eyes.

"That's all you have to say? Why, I'm hurt, Edward." Yeah right, sure he was hurting.

He turned to the shelves, his back to the egocentric man. "Nah. Don't want your ego to bloat and make you fly to the far west... I heard it's horrible there."

The man laughed and followed Ed as he picked up the milk and cheese, before walking to the nearest counter and paying. "So, how's that girl of yours?"

Ed blinked. "Depends. Which one?"

"What's this? Little Ed here has more than one girl? My, my, I never knew you were the type." Roy said in mock astonishment.

"I didn't mean it like that! I've got two very important girls in my life! My sister and Riz!"

Mustang raised a dark eyebrow, smirking - that same damn smirk - on his lips. "Riz? Now, who could that be?"

"I refuse to tell you that, _Mustang_," Ed snarled at the older man as he stomped out of the store and down the street. But Mustang persisted, and continued to bother him until they got back to his house. However, Al was horrified with Mustang's new look and demanded that he shave immediately. Luckily - or rather, unluckily - Mustang was smart for once and complied.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Second last chapter now. :) Also, feel free to go to Geu23's profile and read the original version.  
**

******Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters. I also don't own the plot for the first 5 chapters. ALL CREDIT FOR THE PLOT OF THE FIRST 5 CHAPTERS GOES TO GEU23.**  


* * *

**Probably the greatest harm done by vast wealth is the harm that we of moderate means do ourselves when we let the vices of envy and hatred enter deep into our own natures.**

_**Theodore Roosevelt**_

**Chapter 5:**

* * *

_**27th July 1922, 7:54am  
**_

The phone rang and Edward cleaned his charcoal-covered hands on his 'art towel' before picking it off the cradle. "Hello? Elric residence."

"**Hello pipsqueak," **greeted an annoying voice. Ed's mood dropped like a bomb-shell. So much for a nice day! Now it was spoiled thanks to _him_.

He gritted his teeth and managed to hiss out, "What do you want?!"

The annoying voice just laughed, and Ed could picture the bastard smirking. "**Aw. Is that how you talk to your older brother, squirt?"**

Ed barked out a laugh, and it was anything but happy. "You? My brother? That's the funniest thing I've heard in years!" Nope, it was sure as hell not funny because it was fucking true!

"**You wound me, brother. After all the things I've done for -"**

"You've done _nothing_ for me, you bastard! Except for ruining my day and destroying my work!" Ed shouted into the phone.

"**You're still upset about that? I thought you'd have gotten over it by now."**

"That was my best work and you destroyed it! It had more value than your pathetic life! Now, I've got things to do so have a terrible day!" He slammed the phone down. Ed placed a trembling hand on his face and a deep sigh blew out from him. Damn that bastard. Ruining everything and destroying his most prized work of art.

His eyes watered and frustration crept down his face as his shoulders shook. He'd ruined everything.

His 'older brother' had destroyed something very important in his life. He had taken his mother's life away and had destroyed every picture and painting of her. Even the new ones Ed did. It hurt, too. In fact, it always hurt. Every single day.

* * *

_**27th July 1922, 12:03pm  
**_

Edward Elric was in a foul mood after that call. It was the worst kind of bombshell and it had pissed him off. So, still feeling sour and pretty bitchy, he had shrugged on his coat and stamped out the door into the cold air of Floe. He had ignored his jolly neighbours that greeted him with a cheerful 'good morning!' (Since he was not in the mood for cheery shit like that); the annoying old man yelling at his mostly deaf wife, the man that loved his dog too much and the many others Ed passed. He kept walking, keeping to the sidewalk and occasionally stepping on new snow.

He found everything annoying. The cars were annoying, the bikes were more annoying and the stupid dog that never shut up (which belonged to a professor in the university that Al studied at) was barking at people that were passing by. He glared at the fat but incredibly small dog as it bounced up and down inside the house.

If only he could kill the stupid son-of-a-bitch, then the world would be less annoying! If only for a little while, what with his bastard half-brother still around... Annoying, hot-headed, fucked-up palm tree!

With a snort of anger he walked faster, hoping to burn away the annoying, beastly rage that had managed to trickle into his being, remaining contained within his mind and flesh. It was frustrating when he got like this; it was completely unhealthy and he knew it. The doctors had told him that when he was younger and more prone to 'accidents', e.g. fights.

He went to the shopping district, only to huff in annoyance when he saw that it was busier than ever. Must have a sale somewhere... Stupid sale. Maybe he should check the bookstore. That might help him cool off... Or maybe not. Only one way to find out. He turned left and made his way to his regular bookstore, named 'Crested Dragon', which was owned by a good friend of his. So, not only was it one of his favourite places to get books, he also got great discounts for it.

He continued his walk, a little bit less annoyed and angry than earlier, to the medium sized bookstore. It always seemed to have nearly all the books there were in the world available- if they didn't have it, then they'd just order it. He pushed the dark brown door open, the tinkling of the small, bronze bell announcing his arrival to the people inside. The smell of paper, leather-bound covers and ink penetrated his nose and he breathed in deeply, savouring the sweet scent.

He closed the door behind him and was greeted by his friend's wife, Lan Fan. The sorceress smiled at him as she waved at him from the counter; glasses perched on her narrow nose. He smiled and walked over, glad to see that she was doing alright.

"Good afternoon, Lan Fan," Ed greeted with a smile.

The Zianese woman smiled back, "Good afternoon to you too, Edward."

"So, how are you doing?" Ed gazed around the store, looking for Ling.

"I'm doing fine, and Ling's out by the way. Said he needed to get the new stock. Fu's with him too," Lan Fan commented.

Ed raised an eyebrow. "So, you're all alone here?"

She shook her head. "No, I've got Sheska to help." She paused. "But I'm not too sure where she is in the store right now, though." Ed nodded before he left to look around for a book (or a couple number of books) that might keep him entertained for awhile.

He browsed through the shelves, hand tracing over the spines of books and occasionally skimming through a book here and there. He could sense the faint sense of harmless magic, probably from Lan Fan or her witch assistant, Sheska. But still, nothing seemed to grab his attention; it kept wandering back to his bastard of an older brother, filling him to the brim with anger.

Having had enough of the looming shelves and the suffocating smell of books he walked out of the store, saying goodbye to Lan Fan and sending his regards to her family on the way. He took a right and walked along, ignoring the people as they carried on in their lives, ignoring the buzz of the streets as he made his way to his destination. It didn't matter that his back twinged every now and then or that his legs were starting to cramp.

He was angry and upset, so he'd figured that it was time he visited. Soon the busy streets of the town centre were behind him, leaving all the buzzing people and honking bikes. He walked on, going left when he came to a small road spiralling downwards through the trees. Only bare trees with rotting bark and spreading branches greeted him as he walked; the crunching of snow under his sneakers and an occasional cawing of a crow were the only noises intruding on the quiet scene.

He entered the cemetery and walked towards a very familiar headstone. He squatted down and placed a hand on the cold grey stone, brushing over it lovingly. He smiled sadly as he read the words, always there and always the same, before speaking.

"Hey, mum. Long time, no see..."

* * *

_**26th July 1922, 2:19pm  
**_

Jean Havoc grinned goofily as he walked out of the store, a little beat to his steps as he walked. He was happy, so very happy! He'd managed to get a date with a lovely redhead named Lisa Howards, who agreed to go to a movie with him on Sunday! He grinned; at least now, he didn't have to go to that romance movie all alone.

Sure, most people would think he didn't like romance movies, but the people who knew him best realized that he was obsessed with them. He just enjoyed watching other people on the screen, and the plot 'happened' to have a bit (all right, it had a lot) of romance tossed into it.

He was so happy that he almost missed the golden hair that belonged to the person he'd known for 15 years. Edward appeared to be walking home. He gazed at his best friend, wondering why he had such a sad look on his face. Did something happen?

Maybe he was just upset that Black Hayate had passed away? Or could it be something else completely? Jean shrugged and walked over.  
He slung an arm around the blonde and grinned at him, "Hey there Ed! How you doing?"

The golden eyed man looked at him before he sighed and mumbled, "Had a fucking horrible day..."

Jean smiled and ruffled Ed's hair. "At least you don't have to turn into a wolf once a month, huh?" he joked. When Ed didn't respond, he continued, "Can't be that bad, now can it? Surely something good happened."

Ed shook his head and kicked a rock, his mouth a frown and brows knitted together. "I got a phone call from the palm tree fucktard this morning."

Jean took a sharp breath. Crap, he called? "So, how are you handling it?"

Ed chuckled mirthlessly before looking at him. "Not very well, I think. I can't seem to think about anything else…"

"All right-y then! Come on," Jean said enthusiastically as he grinned. Ed looked at him, head cocked to the side in a silent question. "Come on, we're going to make sure you forget all about that!"

"Oh? Tell me, how do you plan on going about that?" Ed groaned.

Jean pumped a fist up and said, "We're going to get ice-cream!"

…Ed sometimes wondered if Havoc would ever be sane; or if he had ever been sane in the first place. He sighed and was promptly dragged back into town, to the ice-cream stall. Well, at least Jean was paying...


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Alright! Last chapter. This chapter was written entirely by me! Haha. I just hated to see a potential storyline go to waste because the original author couldn't write the last chapter. I mean, that's really quite depressing to me- when I've followed a story for some chapters and it's cut off before the last chapter. :/ So here it is, the 'big' finale! Also, thank you so much to Guest for reviewing, it means a lot to me to receive feedback. Remember to review!  
**

**Disclaimer: The first 5 chapters were written by Geu23. This chapter was written by me! I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters within.  
**

* * *

**There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.**

_**Washington Irving**_

**Chapter 6****:**

* * *

_**26th July 1922, 3:17pm**_

Jean had invited Ed back to his house after that, in an effort to keep his spirits up. The golden-haired man sat on the Hawkeye's doorstep tiredly as Jean left to tell Riza he was there. Ed leaned back on the frozen steps, barely feeling the cold. He was entirely wrapped in his memories when the cause of his bad mood interrupted his thoughts.

"Heya, pipsqueak! Been looking everywhere for ya," the evil voice spoke. Ed tensed, leaping to his feet as he spotted his older half-brother. Envy was a goblin, an arrogant creature with dark green hair and glassy black eyes.  
Ed scowled. "Just who're you calling a pipsqueak who needs a stool to reach the phone?! What the fuck do you want?" he shouted furiously.  
Envy pouted. "What, no warm hello hugs for ya big bro?" his expression shifted to a poisonous smirk. "Al and her young man didn't appreciate me dropping by either."

Ed's eyes widened. He'd gone to their _house_? "You bastard, if you've so much as touched a hair on Al's head, I'll fucking kill you!" he growled, fists clenched.  
It infuriated Ed when Envy suddenly laughed. "That's funny shorty, you said the same about your filthy _mother_. And just look how she turned out." Envy grinned insanely. Ed just snapped.

He tackled Envy to the ground, punching the older man in the face twice. Envy grabbed his wrist and twisted it, making Ed yelp in pain. Snow flew everywhere as the boys fought in Hawkeye's front yard.  
"E-Ed!" cried Riza's voice urgently. She'd come outside to greet him while Jean stayed in their house. Ed was oblivious to her yell.  
"You bastard! What the fuck is wrong with you?" he shouted at Envy, head butting him. The other gritted his teeth and shoved Ed off him, twisting and slamming Ed to the ground on his back. He let out a cry of pain as his wings protested, beginning to force their way out.

He panicked. They couldn't come out now- Riza was there! If she saw he was an angel, and a guardian angel at that, she'd- she'd… She would leave him, abandon him, shun him. She'd tell the whole town that he was a freak, but that wouldn't matter if she left his life! Ed barely registered Envy hitting him in the face as he writhed from the pain in his back. His blazing hot skin was melting the snow he laid on, his back searing with fury from his demanding, concealed wings.

A loud gunshot interrupted the fight, causing Envy to fall back and away from Ed.  
"Get away from him. Get away from him and off my lawn _right now!_" Riza yelled, firing again. He dove behind the shelter of the gate, his left arm bleeding from the first bullet. Riza ignored Envy as he fled, instead choosing to sprint to Ed.

"Oh my god. Are you okay, love? What happened?" she cupped his face, forehead creased with worry. Jean also rushed to his side, having heard gunshots from outside; he avoided his sister's silver gun like the plague.  
"No, you can't! You can't come out…" Ed's voice faded as he clutched his sides, trembling. He couldn't see through the pain, barely registering the presence of the others. He howled in pain as his vicious wings cracked and drew blood, agony clouding his mind. He rolled on his side, breathing heavily.

"Ed! What's wrong?" Jean frowned, but his friend didn't hear him. His eyes widened when loud _cracks_ and Ed's shrieks filled the air.  
"Baby, talk to me! Ed! Ed!" Riza cried, feeling slightly hysterical. Blood from his back now covered her hands. Ed finally screamed once more, his wings breaking through his skin with a sickening tearing sound. Riza froze as she saw the tips of his crimson-soaked wings.

"E-ed… he's…" Jean stammered. Edward cried out again, his wings wholly visible now. The demanding parasites shifted once more before they settled, stretched out over their icy front yard.  
"A guardian angel…" Riza breathed. Her eyes widened.

Havoc leapt to his feet, dragging Riza with him until they were a safe distance away.  
"What are you doing, Jean?" Riza shouted as she ripped her arm from his grip.  
"Riza, he's an angel! An _angel!_ He's probably been controlling our minds this entire time!" Jean scowled, feeling betrayed. But what his adopted sister did next came as a complete surprise to the young werewolf.

She slapped him. Jean's mouth dropped in shock.  
"Don't be an idiot! Can you even hear yourself?" Riza's eyes were teary, but she turned and strode back to her unconscious boyfriend, kneeling beside him protectively. "Do you even remember everything Ed's done for us? When mum died, and we'd given up on everything? He supported us, every chance he got. He helped us both recover, and was there whenever we needed him!" she stroked Ed's golden hair.

Riza's words were both truthful and passionate. "He's been my everything for the past two years. Everything… Are you really going to label him as an evil traitor so easily, even though he's only ever done good?!"

Jean closed his mouth, suddenly feeling ashamed. "Sis, I… I'm sorry. You're right. I just… I can't believe he lied to me for the last fifteen years…"  
Riza gazed at him determinedly, but spoke gently. "After that reaction, can you really blame him, Jean?"

Jean's shoulders slumped, and it was silent for a moment before Ed suddenly coughed for air. "He's… right, Riz… I can't be trusted."  
Riza stared at his pale face, frowning. "What do you mean?"  
"I…" he sighed, slowly sitting up. "I have controlled both your emotions, once before." He couldn't meet her eyes as he admitted it, instead watching the blood from his open wounds sink into the snow.

Her monotonous voice was stern as she replied with a single word. "Why?"  
"It was after your mother died," he replied softly. "You and Jean were just so heartbroken… especially you, Jean." He slowly looked up at them both, his eyes apologetic and guilty. "I manipulated your feelings at the funeral. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't want either of you to fall into depression, so…"

Riza stood silently, and glanced at her brother. Jean frowned and nodded.  
"Go inside and get bandaged up, Edward. Then I think you should go home." Riza turned stoically and vanished into her house. Jean gave him one more emotion-filled look and also climbed the stairs.  
He paused. "We won't tell anyone." Then he also left.

* * *

_**28th July 1922, 11:00am**_

Edward lay on the living room sofa, staring at the ceiling. He was oblivious to the worried glances Al was giving him as she gave her brother some space. She knew what had happened.

Getting home two days ago had been torture. Ed, full of guilt and pain, had hastily bandaged his obnoxious wings at Hawkeye's place before squishing them inside his overcoat and running home, hoping no one noticed the massive hump on his back. He hadn't seen Riza or Havoc since he admitted using his abilities to help them heal.

He wasn't sure it he regretted that or not. He had certainly saved Jean from entering a deep depression, and possibly Riza too. But controlling the minds and emotions of others was wrong, and he had only done it two other times- both when he was quite young. And he refused to control people for malevolent reasons.

For the past two days he'd just slept, ate and painted in a sorrowful cycle. He missed the comedy of his best friend, and the caring, supportive warmth of his beloved. He sighed, wondering for the millionth if he should go and see them; but fear of rejection held him in place again. He slumped his shoulders dejectedly.

The doorbell rang, and Al headed to get it, motioning to Ed. He rolled off the couch compliantly and headed to his room- he still had his fucking wings out, since they'd completely refused to be cramped into his back again. So he had to stay out of the sight of visitors for the next couple of days.

Voices resonated from the doorway as Al spoke with whoever it was. Ed rolled onto his side, back facing the door. He fully intended on going to sleep when his door abruptly opened.  
Riza hesitated at the door as she saw his four glorious, white wings spread all over his bed.  
Jean came up behind her as well; he spoke first. "Edward."

Ed jolted at the realization other people were in his room and sprung up from his bed, self-consciously turning away to hide his wings from sight.  
"R-Riza? Jean? What are you doing here?" he blurted. Despite his shock, his eyes had flared with happiness at seeing them.

The siblings glanced at each other and then bowed unanimously. Ed blinked.  
"We came to apologise, Ed. You were only helping us, and we just ignored you," Riza said sadly. "We… I left you bleeding in the snow. I'm so, so sorry…"

Ed stepped towards them, but Jean spoke before he could say anything. "Me too, Ed. I'm the most at fault here. After 15 years, I still doubted you, and accused you of controlling us. And, well… I'm sorry. My bad."  
He was trying to diffuse the tension, Ed realised. He smiled softly at them both. "Don't be sorry, either of you. It was a big shock, and I've lied to you for so long. I apologize." He bowed back.

They all straightened, the tension fading as they smiled at one another.  
"Well, I'm off," Jean grinned suddenly. "I'm sure you two won't pass up the chance of alone time in Ed's bedroom. Ciao!"  
Riza and Ed blushed a bright red. "Jean!" He laughed as he ran from the room, waving over his shoulder as he went to chat with Al.

Ed watched him leave, when a hand suddenly brushed his back. He stiffened, holding his breath tensely as Riza ran a hand down his larger right-hand wing.  
"Wow," she murmured under her breath.  
"Riz?" Ed asked awkwardly.

She blushed a bit more and stepped back. "Sorry. They're just so beautiful."  
Ed burst out laughing at the absurdity of the notion of his bastard, demanding and insufferable wings being 'beautiful' and sat back down on the bed.  
He shook his head, still chuckling. "If you say so, love." Ed took Riza's hand hesitantly, and when she allowed the touch, he pulled her into his lap.  
"Well, it's true!" she said defensively, hugging him back. They were silent for a moment, enjoying each other's touch. It had only been two days, but that seemed like eternity to them both. Riza slid her hands down his wings again in wonder, but gulped as some feathers came out in her hands.

"Uh… sorry hon," she spoke, shifting in his hold and showing him the feathers.  
He shrugged. "Chuck 'em out."  
"Can I keep them?" Riza tilted her head, eying the soft feathers in her grip. Ed leaned forward and kissed her neck.  
"If you want," he smiled, feeling content for the first time in a while.  
She laughed. "Ed, that tickles!"  
"Oh?" he replied teasingly, moving his lips to her mouth.

* * *

_**28th July 1922, 11:43am**_

"They must be having a good time, eh?" Havoc grinned, hearing laughter from Ed's room. He nudged Al with an elbow. "What about you, Al?"  
Al went red. "W-what about me?" she stammered.  
Havoc grinned slyly, preparing to run. "Surely a lovely young fairy like you is getting _some_ action!"  
Al turned into a human beetroot, picking up a cutting board. "JEAN HAVOC!"  
Jean laughed wildly as she chased him around the living room with her makeshift weapon, glad that everything turned out well. Neither he nor Al realised that a vengeful set of eyes was watching them.

Black, glassy eyes that belonged to a certain green-haired goblin.


End file.
